Process and apparatus for magnetic separation



FeB. 28, 1928. 1,660,362

F. M. SIMONDS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAGNETIC SEPARATION Filed Oct.5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 .34 36 l |il| I W 2 20 W 25 Feb. 28, 1928.

F. M. SIMONDS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAGNETIC SEPARATION 7 Filed Oct.5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 im u) /1 X u/o Quoemtoz Feb. 28, 1928.

F. M. slmpNps PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAGNETIC SEPARATION Filed001:.5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l/flIIlllfllllllf/IIIIAilllllI/f/l anonW01 FebQZS, 1928. 1,660,362 F. M. SIMONDS PROCESS AND APPARATUS MAGNETICSEPARATION Filed Oct. 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .33 4 5 F l I I PatentedFeb. 28, 1928.

UNITED" STATES FRANCIS M. SIMONDS, F NEWYORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OFCITE-HALF TO A. FILLMOIRJ! 1,660,362 PATENT OFFICE.-

I-IYDE, OF NEVI YORK, N. Y.

rnocnss AND APPARATUS non MAGNETIC SEPARATION. V

Application filed October 3, 1925. se ial no. 60,151.,

The present invention has relation 'toa process and apparatus forseparating fine magnetic particles from their admixture withnon-magnetic particles, and is particu- 3 larly intended for the removalof iron or of its magnetic oxide from other substances as a step in theconcentration of ores of various kinds- My invention finds itsbestgembodlment in the treatment of finely ground material.

In the process of separation of magnetlc particles from non-magneticmaterial, as hitherto practiced, it has beenproposed to cause the mixedmaterials to 'move past a series of magnets whose influence is intendedto divert the magnetic particles only from the common path of movement.In orderto give adequate time for action by themag' nets, it has alsobeen proposed to let the ma terial acted on move slowly pastthe magnetsthrough or with water or other retarding liquid.

Where this last mentioned expedient is resorted to, it is found inpractice (particularly with very fine material) that groups of magneticparticles, becoming, magnetized,

form clusters which imprison or entangle among them a considerablequantityof the non-magnetic material, which, in' consequence, is carriedover with the magnetic material and causes very imperfect separa tion.Another disadvantage is found in the creation of cross currents ofvarious kinds in the liquid, whose influence is decidedly detrimental toefficient separation.

My improved process and apparatus have for their principal object theremoval of these objections. In'carrying out my invention, the mixedparticles are carried past the separating magnets at a substantiallyconstant and controllable speed, without the formationeofdetrimentalcross currentsor eddies, and any clusters of magnetic particles that maybefound are promptly and efi'ec tively broken up, so thatthenon-magnetic material isnot carried over with the magnetic materialto an appreciable extent.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus forcarrying out my improved process, Figure 2, is a partial sectional Viewof the same, the plane of section being parallel to the side seen inFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a partial vertical sectional view" taken "at rightangles toFigure 2, Figure/l is a partial face view of thepushing plate,

Figure 5 is an edge view of the same, and Figure 6 isa partial face Viewof a modified form of perforated, plate, form in Figure 3. '1

shown in another:

The separator has an'outer casing 10 made V of wood," hard rubberorfother suitable nonmagnetic material; and against, and outside of onewall, 11, of this casing are mounted a series of magnets, preferablyelectro-magnets 12, as shown. These magnets Y, may have either constantor intermittent polarization 1 Y as desired, and their poles may remainthe same (as where excited by continuous electric current) or may bereversed v I (as where excited by alternating current).

I prefer to p y & crosspartition '13 near the top of the casing for apurposedescr bedhereinafter, and at the bottom the casing is dividedby apartition 14 into two chambers 15 and 16 for receiving the non magneticand the magnetic particles, respectlvely. (See Figure 2.)

At the back of the partition 13 (that is on the s defaway from themagnets 12) the mixed'powdered material is fed continuously in anysuitable manneiythe' same being sus-- pended ina' current of water.Clear water, moving, at ne'arlythe same rate is caused to flowdownwardin front of'the partition 13. Any overflow may be discharged atone side asthrough the opening 1'2 (Figure The 1 feed preferably takesplace on opposite sides and outsideofthetwo fore-and-aft parti-'eccentric cams 21, 22 ,on a shaft 23, said cams playing in slots 24; inthe respective plates 20. In each pair of cams, when one of apairislifting its plate 20, the other is lowering its plate. Alternateplates are thus kept moving vertically in opposite d1- rections,'so longas the shaft 23 is made to revolve. This revolution maybe accomplishedby the pulley 25 and belt 26 or otherwiser Means for steadying andguiding the plates can be provided as desired, and are not shown as theinventlon can be more clearly exhibited by the diagrams used,

: 28 (see Figure 6). In either case openings areafforded throughwhichthe fine material attracted by'the magnets 12 may move.

Nexttothe front wall 11 is a pushing plate 29 mounted forslow up and.down -movement, and equipped to push downwardthe magnetic particleswhich find their way againsttheinner surface of said wall under theinfluence of the magnets 12. In this way the gathering particles areconveyed to the receiving chamber 16, and the wall 11 is kept clear forthe accommodation of more magnetic particles. The openings 30 in theplate 29 permit the particles to pass through to the front'wall. i v

The pushing means for the attracted particles may be given a variety offorms, an example of which is shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. Upon theforward face ofthe pushing plate 29 there are pivotally mounted a numberofswinging scrapers 31, having lugs 32 which limit their upward movementsothat they assumethe position shown in dotted lines in Figures 2 and5.. r

The plate 29 is mountedupon an eccentric cam 33 on a slow moving shaft34, turning 1 Figure 5. Whenthe plate 29 moves .downward agaln, thewater resistance lifts the within a suitable slot or cam opening 35 inthe plate. Revolution of the shaft 34 by the pulley 36 and belt 37, orotherwise, causes a slow'up and down movement of the plate 29. As theplate moves upward gravity together with the water resistance causes thescrapers 31 to take the full line position in scrapers into dotted lineposition with their edges against the wall 11 ,so thatthey push down theparticles adhering to the wall. Instead of mechanicaluneans of pushingdown the magnetic particles jets of water could be used.

The mode of operationof my apparatus will now be clear. The massofmingled particles suspended water moves clownwardbehind the partition13 and. into the space below, between the plates 20. The attractiveforce of the magnets 12 causes the magnetic particles in the mixture totravel toward the front wall 11, the greater part of these moving ingroups entangling certain quantities of non-magnetic material.

As these groups passthrough the openings in the plates 20 they aresubjected to a re peated chopping action which breaks the.

groups up again and again, .thus allowing the nonmagnetic particles toescape and move unimpeded down into the chamber 15.

A substantially purely magnetic mass of particles is thus finallybrought to the wall 11 whence it is scraped into the chamber 16 asalready described.

removed in any convenient manner, but I prefer to accomplish thiscontinuously by the means illustrated. They include a screw i conveyerin each chamber, shown at 38 and 39, which are rotated by pulleys 40 and41 respectively.

In order to. obtain a better seal and a more complete control ofthedischarge, I prefer to provide a downward passage 42 at the exit endof each conveyer 38, 39, and to place'another screw conveyer 43 therein(see Figure This latter conveyer in each case maybe driven by bevelgears 44, 45, driven from the driving pulley oftheeorresponding'horizontal conveyer, as shown in Figure his toscription sets forth merely an exemplification of my invention, thescope of which is be understood that the above denot intended to belimited to the details shown and described.

What I claim is: e t

1. The process of separating magnetic from non-magnetic particles whichconsists in causing the mixed particles to move across amagnetic fieldof force and subjecting the groups formed by said field todisintegrating blows as they move toward the sourcefof t-he magneticattraction.

2. The process of separating magnetic from nonmagnetic particles whichconsists in causing the mixed particles to move through narrowtransverse slices in a magnetic field and breaking up the groups formedby magnetic attraction as they pass from one slice of the field to thenext. 3. The process of separating magnetic from non-magnetic particleswhich consists in suspending the mixture in a current of liquid movingthrough a magnetic field while opposing the resultant tendency to createlocal cross currents.

4. A magnetic separator comprising a conmeans within the containeradapted to break up groups of magnetized particles while tainer, asource of magnetic attraction and 1.25

wall, a source of magnetic attraction adaptback and forth in theirownplanes in con- 10 ed to draw magnetic particles towards that, trarydirections. wall, a pushing plate, scrapers pivotally 7. In a magneticseparator a revoluble mounted on the face thereof, and means for shaft,cams thereon a number of pairs of v causing reciprocating movement ofsaid perforated plates mounted on said cams and pushing plate andscrapers. adapted to bereciprocatedthereby. 15

6. In a magnetic separator, a plurality In testimony whereof I afiix mysignaof perforated plates in combination with ture.

means for causing successive plates to move 7 FRANCIS M. SIMONDS. v

